by Burree Sultan, Saima Gaffar, Umama Naeem and Faiza Imran 14 December 2023
COP stands for ‘Conference of the Parties’. COP has come to be associated with meetings of one particular committee created for particular tasks even for the containment of the weapon there was the committee known as COP. But particularly, COP is associated with conferences related to climate change in its respective. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) is the main body organization that is guardian of the COP related to climate change. A total of 154 countries signed the UNFCCC in June 1992, while some other famous COPs are the Paris Agreement 2015 and while Glasgow Climate Pact 2021.
The first COP meeting was held in Berlin, Germany in 1995. The COP meets in Bonn, the seat of the secretariat, unless a Party offers to host the session. Just as the COP Presidency rotates among the five recognized UN regions – that is, Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe Western Europe, and Others – there is a tendency for the venue of the COP to also shift among these groups. COP 3 is one of the famous COP that was held in Japan known as the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 which is also known as the bedrock for the most successful conference related to climate change given the estimated and perfect positions of the agenda-setting related to climate change. Similarly last year it was held in Shram El Sheikh, Egypt in 2022.
COP 28 includes new agendas in this conference which is going to be held in the United Arab Emirates this year. Global Stocktake (GST) which is the mechanism to access the progress on the given goals set in the Paris Agreement, is an opportunity to incorporate the efforts so far as to identify the gaps in the current climate actions by the countries. The United Arab Emirate has given new agenda setting besides following the previous one there have been additions of the new dynamics on the agendas of the conference like first, the fast-tracking of energy transition and slashing down emissions before 2030, the transforming climate finance by delivering the old promises and setting new deals on finance. and putting people nature, people’s lives, and livelihood at the heart of climate action.
The findings, trends, facts, and impacts show how this climate change is happening and how the vulnerability of climate change is playing havoc with its full swings. If the global temperature breaks to 1.5 C warmer than there would be the threshold, catastrophic floods from Pakistan to China, record-breaking heat waves in the USA and Europe, several droughts in Africa, and record ice melting at the poles. Around 74 % of the natural disasters between 2001 and 2018 occurred due to extreme weather like that of droughts, and floods, and the intensity of such events increased simultaneously. Research shows that 3.6 billion people already live in areas highly susceptible to climate change. Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year.
COP 28 will take some goals and objectives that will enhance the positions of the COPs to fight against climate change and enhance the role of the COPs in this regard. Delegates from nearly 200 countries, leaders, businessmen and finance, and civil society will gather in Dubai from November 30 to December 12 for COP28 climate conferences. As the world struggles to meet its climate goals, COP 28 will be a crucial summit for addressing key issues such as mitigation, adaptation, finance, and loss and damage. Major objectives of the conference are the following, Fast-tracking the energy transition and slashing emissions before 2030, Transforming climate finance, by delivering on old promises and setting the framework for a new deal on finance, putting nature, people, lives, and livelihoods at the heart of climate action; and Mobilizing for the most inclusive COP ever.
Health Day and Climate Health ministerial to build consensus on priority actions for the health system’s response to climate change. Recognition of climate change impacts on health and the need for adaptation. Financial commitments for health system resilience and climate-related health challenges. Relief, Recovery, and Peace Day addresses adaptation acceleration and loss and damage. Transformational change in finance and trade systems; gender-responsive policymaking for a Just Transition. Reformation of international financial architecture for climate goals. Different sources, including public and private, national and international, bilateral and multilateral, might provide funding for climate change. It may use a variety of tools, including gifts and grants, green bonds, stocks, debt swaps, guarantees, and loans with favorable terms. Furthermore, its applications span a variety of tasks, such as resilience-building, adaptation, and mitigation.
Sustainable finance market development and voluntary carbon market strengthening. Emphasis on trade for climate-smart, equitable growth, and accountability mechanisms. Rapid decarbonization, job growth, and economic opportunity across energy and industrial value chains. Massive deployment of renewable energy and innovation in heavy-emitting sectors. Accelerating climate action at all levels of government and society; transitioning to low-carbon and resilient built environments.
As COP 28 approaches, several key issues will shape the agenda for the year ahead. These include the operationalization of the loss and damage fund, which will require answers to questions about funding and eligibility. Climate finance is also a major focus, with high-income countries facing pressure to meet their annual goal of mobilizing $100 billion for adaptation financing by 2020 and reform international financial institutions such as the World Bank to increase investment in climate efforts.
Development experts have also called for the United Nations to give the World Bank a mandate to monitor countries’ commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the global energy transition. Historically, global trade has been a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions – with production and distribution responsible for around 25% of global emissions. Trade Day at COP28 will explore the potential for trade to reduce emissions across the value chain and grow markets for climate-friendly products such as electric vehicles and non-plastic packaging. : UK’s pledge to reduce emissions by 68% by 2030. Costa Rica’s goal is to be carbon neutral by 2050. Green Climate Fund’s $10 million grant to Bangladesh. Netherlands’ Delta Plan to protect against flooding.
To conclude, there are a lot of questions on the practicality of the COPs and what the impacts of the previous COPs are, there are also a lot of questions in this regard. But there are hopes alive for obvious reasons. Climate Conferences can play a vital role in this regard, several arguments can support this argument in this way. The conference could be ambitious and motivational for the states, these conferences can put the voice of the civil society against climate change especially since it is the platform of the civil society which can play a vital role in this regard. Conferences should encourage the sharing of technological advancements and innovations that can contribute to climate solutions. The success of addressing climate change relies on continuous efforts, policy implementation, and adjustments based on evolving scientific knowledge. It’s also worth noting that political, economic, and social factors can impact the outcomes of these conferences. Ultimately, the effectiveness of COP and similar conferences in resolving climate-related issues will depend on the collective actions and commitments of the global community.
First Author: Burree Sultan, MPhil Scholar, Writer, and Researcher at NDU, Islamabad.
Second Authors: 1.Saima Ghaffar, MPhil Scholar at NDU, ISB. 2.Umama Naeem, MPhil Scholar at NDU, ISB. Faiza Imran, MPhil Scholar at NDU, ISB.